Police brutality: Journalists beaten for sipping soft drinks in Ramazan
Journalists were drinking beverages in their car when a police constable accused them of committing sin.
Frontier Post journalist Anwer Abbas, who was beaten up by Islamabad police along with his friend Malik Saeed Awan for having soft drinks during the daytime in Ramazan, provided a first-hand account of the incident to journalismpakistan.com on Monday.
According to the report, Abbas and his friend - who works for Independent News Pakistan (INP) - went to Daman-i-Koh in Islamabad and were drinking beverages in their car when a police constable saw them.
The policeman accused them of committing a sin by violating the Ramazan Act that prevents people from eating and drinking in public during the Islamic month.
“I told him I was not fasting and was having my drink in an isolated corner. He told me he was going to register a FIR under Ramadan Ordinance against me,” Abbas said.
The victim also revealed that he and his friend were beaten with belts while the police took them to a nearby police post.
“You have never dealt with police, now we will let you know what police can do. Just then Shahzad [a police constable] stood up, abused me and pushed me hard. I slapped his face in anger and thus started the fight,” Abbas narrated.
The police also threatened them of year-long imprisonment.
Abbas said they were then taken to a police station where the officers were polite and asked him what action they wanted to take against their abusive colleagues.
“I could barely open my left eye following the beating I got and my back was red with belt marks yet I decided to spare them,” Abbas said.
According to a Dawn report, the incident was reported to the Kohsar police SHO and then to the capital IG Bani Amin Khan who assured that action would be taken against the police officials involved in the incident.
The same report stated that senior police officials want Abbas and his friend to withdraw their complaint against the officials.
IG Khan said he had ordered inquiry into the incident. “On Saturday I have been informed by the police officers that both complainants are ready to have a patch up. If complainants withdraw their application, case will be closed,” he said.
According to the report, Abbas and his friend - who works for Independent News Pakistan (INP) - went to Daman-i-Koh in Islamabad and were drinking beverages in their car when a police constable saw them.
The policeman accused them of committing a sin by violating the Ramazan Act that prevents people from eating and drinking in public during the Islamic month.
“I told him I was not fasting and was having my drink in an isolated corner. He told me he was going to register a FIR under Ramadan Ordinance against me,” Abbas said.
The victim also revealed that he and his friend were beaten with belts while the police took them to a nearby police post.
“You have never dealt with police, now we will let you know what police can do. Just then Shahzad [a police constable] stood up, abused me and pushed me hard. I slapped his face in anger and thus started the fight,” Abbas narrated.
The police also threatened them of year-long imprisonment.
Abbas said they were then taken to a police station where the officers were polite and asked him what action they wanted to take against their abusive colleagues.
“I could barely open my left eye following the beating I got and my back was red with belt marks yet I decided to spare them,” Abbas said.
According to a Dawn report, the incident was reported to the Kohsar police SHO and then to the capital IG Bani Amin Khan who assured that action would be taken against the police officials involved in the incident.
The same report stated that senior police officials want Abbas and his friend to withdraw their complaint against the officials.
IG Khan said he had ordered inquiry into the incident. “On Saturday I have been informed by the police officers that both complainants are ready to have a patch up. If complainants withdraw their application, case will be closed,” he said.